PLDT Paves Way for Smarter, AI-Driven Future

The PLDT group is pushing forward in its digital transformation journey, with artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and infrastructure development to reshape the future of telecommunications. This direction was spotlighted at the recent P&A Grant Thornton Economic and Industry Forum, entitled “P&Anorama: 2026 Economic Outlook and Industry Shifts Unpacked”, where PLDT and Smart Vice President for IT Intelligent Automation Technologies, Branden Dean, discussed how AI is changing the way telcos connect with customers and improve operations. As Dean emphasized, connectivity today goes beyond access—it is about intelligence, agility, and personalization.

Speaking before business leaders and subject matter experts during a panel discussion on opportunities, trends, challenges, and concepts around digital innovation, Dean shared how the PLDT group leverages AI to understand customer behavior, deliver hyper-personalized services, and take proactive action—from predictive analytics that anticipate network issues to AI-powered virtual agents that elevate customer care. Inside the organization, tools like robotic process automation (RPA) platforms are streamlining workflows, reducing costs, and improving efficiency. While the opportunities are significant, he also acknowledged that challenges remain, including legacy systems, cybersecurity threats, and the need to strengthen digital adoption and upskill talent.

To support its AI ambitions, PLDT recently unveiled the country’s first AI-ready hyperscale data center, VITRO Santa Rosa (VSR), built specifically for AI workloads. Located in Laguna’s fast-growing tech corridor, VSR is built by VITRO Inc., a subsidiary of ePLDT and the data center arm of PLDT. With 50 megawatts of total power capacity, this facility now hosts live GPU servers powering ePLDT’s AI Stack solution. The new AI offering of ePLDT will enable enterprises to use powerful computing resources without needing their own advanced systems.

VSR is fully integrated into PLDT’s nationwide fiber footprint and global subsea cable systems, ensuring high availability, scalability, and security. As AI adoption accelerates globally, VSR strengthens the Philippines’ bid to become a regional hub for digital innovation. It supports the country’s ambitions to attract global investment, foster local tech development, and drive economic growth.

Dean closed by underscoring the importance of moving with urgency and clarity of purpose. “It’s not about whether we should transform—it’s about how bold, how quick, and how human-centric we can make it.”

As the PLDT Group continues to evolve, it remains focused on creating real value—not only for its customers and enterprise partners, but also for the communities it serves and the future it helps shape.